Broster J C, Dehaan R L, Swain D L, Friend M A
1EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Industry & Investment NSW and Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
Animal. 2010 May;4(5):796-803. doi: 10.1017/S1751731110000030.
A significant number of lambs born each year in Australia die within 72 h of birth. Periods of high wind, combined with rain and low temperatures can lead to marked increases in the mortality level. Under these climatic conditions mortality levels may be reduced with the provision of shelter. This study used contact loggers to compare interactions between ewes with twin lambs across two shelter types (Hessian and shrubs), while also comparing ewes with single and twin lambs in a single shelter type (Hessian). The contact loggers record the time of the initial contact (within approximately 4 to 5 m) between collared animals and the duration of each contact. Contact levels between ewes immediately after lambing were only 10% of the initial levels (1 h/day). For single-born lambs, lambs averaged 11 h contact per day with their mother, while for twinborn lambs, each lamb averaged 9.25 h/day with its mother and 14.7 h/day with its sibling. The level of contact between ewes and each of their offspring in the Hessian was 24% lower (P < 0.05) for ewes with twin lambs than with singles. For ewes with twin lambs the level of contact was 17% lower (P < 0.05) in the Hessian shelter compared with shrub shelter. We conclude that shelter type and birth number can affect the level of contact between ewes and their offspring.
在澳大利亚，每年有相当数量的羔羊在出生后72小时内死亡。大风天气，再加上降雨和低温，可能会导致死亡率显著上升。在这些气候条件下，提供庇护所可以降低死亡率。本研究使用接触记录仪，比较了怀有双胞胎羔羊的母羊在两种庇护所类型（粗麻布和灌木丛）中的相互作用，同时也比较了在单一庇护所类型（粗麻布）中怀有单胎和双胎羔羊的母羊。接触记录仪记录了佩戴项圈的动物之间初始接触的时间（大约在4至5米范围内）以及每次接触的持续时间。产羔后母羊之间的接触水平仅为初始水平的10%（1小时/天）。对于单胎出生的羔羊，平均每天与母亲接触11小时，而对于双胎出生的羔羊，每只羔羊平均每天与母亲接触9.25小时，与同胞接触14.7小时。在粗麻布庇护所中，怀有双胞胎羔羊的母羊与其每个后代之间的接触水平比怀有单胎羔羊的母羊低24%（P<0.05）。对于怀有双胞胎羔羊的母羊，与灌木丛庇护所相比，在粗麻布庇护所中的接触水平低17%（P<0.05）。我们得出结论，庇护所类型和出生数量会影响母羊与其后代之间的接触水平。
